Collapsible aerials



June 24, 1958 R. Q. MARRIS I 2,8

COLLAPSIBLE AERIALS Filed March 23. 1953 mmvrox 1%!) am Ouen/ery Morris r r 2,840,199 I [Ce Patented June 24, 1958 '5 Claims. Cl. 189-26) This invention relates to collapsible aerials for use with radio transmitting and receiving apparatus and the like. Collapsible aerials of telescopic tube construction are generally known. A disadvantage of these aerialsis that it has been found not to be practicable to employ in them a large enough number of sections to make the aerial as compact as may be desired when the aerial is collapsed. Moreover, such telescopic tube aerials can be made self-erecting only with difficulty and with rather complicated constructions.

The general object of the invention is to provide an aerial which is both collapsible and self-erecting, and one that in its collapsed state occupies a small space.

The present invention employs as the aerial a plurality of juxtaposed leaves of spring metal aligned at one end and there secured to a base. The leaves are of progressively increasing length, thereby forming sections of progressively decreasing thickness from the bottom to the top of the aerial; and the leaves of each section are kept together by connecting means which allows them to slide longitudinally relatively to one another while the aerial ,is being collapsed or erected. In its erected position the aerial is substantially straight, and in its collapsed condition the leaves are coiled on themselves and are retained in their coiled position by suitable means preferably provided on the base. Various means may be provided for holding together the leaves of each section so as to permit their relative sliding movement.

The invention will be understood from the following description, taken in connection with the drawing, in which several embodiments of the invention are illustrated, and in which,

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the aerial when erected;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the aerial in its collapsed state;

Fig. 3 is a vertical fragmentary section on the plane 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 4 and 5 show two modifications of the means by which the leaves are retained in their juxtaposed position.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, the aerial comprises a plurality of juxtaposed leaves of spring steel or other spring metal which are preferably arcuate in section as shown. Any suitable number of leaves may be employed, five being represented and referred to by the reference characters 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18. The leaves are of diiferent'lengths progressively increasing from the base 20 to which their aligned ends are secured, so that the aerial is thickest at its base and thinnest at its top. Assuming that there are five juxtaposed leaves as represented in the drawing, the lowermost section A of the aerial will include all five leaves, section B only four leaves, section C only three leaves, section D only two leaves, and section B only one leaf. All of the leaves are rigidly attached to one another at their lower aligned ends by any suitable means and these ends are secured to the base 29 in any suitable manner, as by Welding. The base 20 may be mounted on any suitable support, such asthe top of the apparatus in connection with which the aerial is used. The juxtaposed leaves 10 to 18 are secured together at the top of each of the four sections, A, B, C and D, in such a manner that the leaves are capable of sliding relatively to one another longitudinally, while the aerial is being collapsed (that is, coiled into the position shown in Fig. 2) or extended. For this purpose, as shown in Fig. 3, openings such as the longitudinal slots 22 are provided through the leaves, and the leaves are held slidingly together by pins 23located in these openings. The pins 23 are shown as provided at one end with a head 24 and at the other end with a nut 25 in threaded engagementwith the pin. Alternately, the pins 23 maybe provided with a head at each end, and if desired may be inserted into the slots 22 through a lateral slot connected with the slot 22. Y

Fig. 2 shows the aerial in its collapsed state, and it will be seen that the leaves 10 to 18 are wound into a coil or spiral with the convex faces of the leaves lying outwards. For the sake of clarity, Fig. 2 shows a coil of larger size than would normally be formed. The

aerial may be retained in its collapsed state by any suitable means. The'mcans illustrated in Fig. 2 for retaining the aerial in its collapsed (coiled) state includes lugs 28 and 29 extending upwardly from the base 20 and provided with holes 30. These lugs are adapted to receive between them the collapsed leaves, and a removable pin 32 is adapted to extend through the holes 30 in said lugs 28 and 29 and through the space within the coiled-up leaves. When the aerial has been collapsed, the coil of leaves is inserted between the lugs 28 and 29 and the pin 32 is then introduced into the holes 30 in said lugs and through the space within thecoiled-up leaves. Thus the leaves are retained in their collapsed position by the pin 32; and when the pin 32 is removed the leaves of the aerial uncoil and the aerial is automatically erected, by the tendency of the leaves to straighten-out, into the position shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of the means for slidingly retaining the leaves in their juxtaposed relation. Fig. 4 indicates that each of the leaves, except the longest leaf, is provided at its upper end with a tongue 34 which projects from the top of the leaf and extends through registering openings 36 provided in the other leaves in the next higher section.

In Fig. 5 another means for slidingly retaining the leaves in their juxtaposed relation is illustrated. This means comprises a strap 38 adapted to surround the leaves of each section at its top end (except the uppermost section), the ends of the strap 38 being attached to the shortest leaf of that section in any suitable way as by welding as shown at 40. It will be obvious that, when the leaves are being coiled and uncoiled, a relative sliding movement between the leaves embraced by the strap 38 is permitted.

The details of the illustrated embodiments of the in? vention may be modified without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible aerial assembly comprising a base, a plurality of juxtaposed flexible spring metal leaves of arcuate cross-section aligned at one end and secured at their aligned ends to said base with their concave surfaces facing in the same direction, said spring metal leaves being of varying lengths with the convex surface of a leaf of longest dimension constituting one of the outer surfaces of the aerial, said leaves being capable of being coiled from the free end toward said base into a compact spiral with the concave surfaces facing inwardly and with said leaf of longest dimension outermost, a plurality of means cooperating with said leaves for retaining them in their juxtaposed relation while permitting relative slidsaidbase-and with said leaves for releasably retaining the latter in said compact spiral position adjacent said base, said aerialbeing self erecting upon release of said retainingmeanst T f 2. A collapsible aerial assembly according to claim 1 in-Whichthemeansforretaining the leaves in their compactspiral positionwomprises a pair of spaced apart parallel perforated lugs on said base adapted toreceive betweenthem the collapsed leaves, and a removable pin adapted to extend throughthe perforations in said lugs and through the space Within the coiled-up collapsed 3i Acolla'psible aerial assembly according to claim 1, in which each ofsaid plurality of means for slidingly retaining said leaves intheir, juxtaposed'relation includes a slotnea'r theend of eaclr leaf of shorter dimension than saidflongest leaf in registration with corresponding slots in the other leaves, anda pin disposed in said registering slotted openings.

4. A collapsible aerial assembly according to claim I,

' wherein said leaves are of progressively decreasing length and wherein each of said plurality of means for slidingly retaining said leavesin their juxtaposed relation includes a tongue projecting. from the top of each leaf except the longest and through registering openings provided in the other leaves.'

5. A collapsible aerial assembly according to claim 1, in which each ofsaid plurality of means for slidingly retaining said leaves in their juxtaposed relation includes a strap secured to an outer leaf and extending around the other leaves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Feussner Aug. 18, 1942 Thomas Jan. 30, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS France Mar. 23, 1942 

